Desa Sealy is President & Founder of Gotham Urban Ventures, a real estate development and consulting firm focused on Public Private Partnerships. As an urbanist who is passionate about achieving both business and mission objectives, she uses development as a vehicle for creating positive change. Desa has participated in over $1.5 Billion in housing, commercial and mixed use development. She was appointed by the Obama administration to serve in the U.S. General Services Administration. Upon leaving GSA, she founded Gotham which has allowed her to witness firsthand what can occur when the might of the government, and the creativity of the private sector are harnessed for the public good. Desa holds a BA in Urban Studies from Brown University and a MS in Real Estate Development from Columbia University.

Eddie Lorin is managing member and co-founder of Strategic Realty Holdings. He is a real estate owner, developer and acting principal. Through the course of his career, Eddie has successfully acquired more than 200 properties; 40,000 units contained in over $4.2 billion in real estate.

Eddie is one of the original “mission-oriented investors” before impact investments focused on delivering a triple bottom line…financial, environmental and social returns to its investors, residents and its stakeholders. Eddie is a member of the EIG and the Novogradac coalitions for Opportunity Zones.

Eddie is also co‐founder of the 501c3 HAPI Foundation with his wife Jane which was

developed to promote health and wellness in low-income apartment communities.

Earning his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and has been a licensed California real estate broker since 1988. He has two college-age daughters and lives in Westlake Village, CA with his wife.

Sheryl is Co-Managing Director of Gensler Columbus as well as a Global Building Transformation & Adaptive Reuse Leader. With 40 years of experience, she is widely recognized for leading award-winning building transformation projects including The Old Chicago Post Office, The Mart, and The Book Depository, in Detroit. As she spearheads Gensler’s growing presence in Ohio, she brings her deep knowledge of design strategies focused on place, brand, sustainability, and repositioning to the region.

Sheryl works closely with clients and developers to understand their goals and vision, tapping into the firm’s ongoing research and multipronged expertise to define detailed design solutions. Her previous experience at Gensler includes leading a dynamic studio, managing strong client relationships, and guiding the successful delivery of numerous projects in Chicago and around the Midwest. Sheryl’s insights on stranded assets and building conversions are frequently shared by real estate and design platforms, regionally and nationally. She is an active member of Urban Land Institute’s Redevelopment and Reuse Product Council and recently served as the Chicago Board Chair of Humble Design, a nonprofit that transforms empty dwellings into homes for individuals, families, and veterans transitioning out of homelessness.

Gary oversees Management and Leasing performance of Willco’s portfolio. In addition, Gary is involved in special development projects. Gary brings 22 years of experience in many facets related to real estate development and investment. He has spent the last 15+ years running Willco Residential (www.willcoDC.com) developing more than $50,000,000 of Multi-Family condos and apartments throughout Washington, DC. Prior to Willco Residential, Gary worked at Axent Realty running the property management and leasing departments. Prior to joining Axent Realty, Gary worked for Newmark Companies in New York City as an Assistant Property Manager for over 1,000,000 SF of commercial space throughout the city. Gary has also been involved in charter schools in Washington, DC serving on the board of KIPP DC and Founding Board Chair of Inspired Teaching Public School. Gary received a BS degree from Syracuse University and a MA degree from Pace University.

Tarrah Beebe joined KFA upon earning her Masters in Architecture from USC and was promoted to Senior Associate

in 2018. Her career at KFA has been focused on community-based and hospitality project

types, with a specialty in historic renovations and adaptive reuse. As a partner to clients, Tarrah is able to creatively problem solve challenges that arise in adaptive reuse conversion, giving new life to underutilized properties. She sees collaboration as the cornerstone of successful

projects, and enjoys synthesizing input from clients, consultants, and contractors. Originally

from Boston’s historic Charlestown neighborhood, Tarrah’s undergraduate years were divided

between the design studios of CUA’s School of Architecture, and the volleyball court as the

University’s first libero. She studied urban design in Tanzania as a Fulbright scholar, and has

taught at USC in the Building Science program. She has coached a club volleyball team in Santa

Monica for 13 years.

Elizabeth Dryden is a Partner in the Real Estate Department of Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP. Elizabeth’s practice covers a broad range of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, financings, and joint venture and syndication formations. Her practice experience includes extensive representation of institutional and noninstitutional lenders, property owners and developers, private equity investors and high-net worth individuals across all asset classes. With a strong background in finance, Elizabeth specializes in structuring and negotiating real estate finance transactions, including first mortgage loans, mezzanine and other subordinate loans, preferred equity and joint venture structures, syndicated credit facilities, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae loans, bridge loans and construction loans. Prior to joining Ervin Cohen & Jessup, Elizabeth worked at the Am Law 100 firms Paul Hastings LLP and Morrison & Foerster LLP. Elizabeth holds a Juris Doctorate from New York University School of Law and Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy from Columbia University. She is also the Co-Chair of the Beverly Hills Bar Association Real Estate Section.